Use Drumkit in Gmail

Last updated: October 23, 2026

In Gmail, Drumkit runs in Chrome's side panel through the Drumkit Chrome extension. Open an email, click Open Drumkit, and you get the same sidebar Outlook users have: Kit, quoting, Builder and your loads, for the thread you're reading.

Before you start

  1. Sign up with Google. Go to app.drumkit.ai/signup, click Sign up with Google, and use your work Gmail account. Tick every permission box Google shows. That's what lets Kit read your new email.
  2. Install the extension and sign in. See Install the Drumkit Chrome extension.

Open Drumkit on an email

  1. Open an email in Gmail.
  2. A small Drumkit button appears on the page. Hover over it and it says Email detected!
  3. Click Open Drumkit, or click the Drumkit icon in your Chrome toolbar. The sidebar opens on the right, for this thread.

Kit tells you what it found in the email, the same as in Outlook. See Tour the sidebar: New, Active and Kit.

The sidebar follows you. Open another email and it switches to that thread. If it doesn't, click Open Drumkit again.

Reply to a quote from Gmail

When your quote is ready, click the copy icon next to Draft Response and paste it into your reply in Gmail. See Send or draft your reply.

What's different from Outlook

  • Chrome only opens the panel when you click. Drumkit can't pop open on its own. Click Open Drumkit, the toolbar icon, or right-click the page and choose Open Drumkit.
  • The same extension works beyond Gmail. On a supported bidding portal or TMS load page, click Open Drumkit there to work on that load. See Use Drumkit on a bidding portal and Use Drumkit on your TMS load page.
  • Reply to current thread needs the panel open on that email. When you schedule carrier emails from Track & Trace, keep the Gmail thread open in the same tab.

Use a Chrome profile that matches your Gmail account, or a plain profile that isn't signed in to any Google account. Drumkit doesn't work in Incognito or Guest windows.

FAQs

I don't see the Open Drumkit button in Gmail.

Refresh Gmail. If it still isn't there, check that the extension is installed, pinned and signed in. See Drumkit isn't showing up or loading.

I see "Drumkit needs Gmail permissions to work its magic!"

A permission box was left unchecked when you signed up. Sign in again at app.drumkit.ai/signup and tick every box Google shows.

I see "Gmail reported an issue."

Drumkit lost its connection to your inbox, so new emails aren't being read. Click Click here in the banner, or go to app.drumkit.ai/relink. See Sign in, sign up or reconnect.

Kit didn't find anything in an older email.

Drumkit reads new email from the day you signed up, plus the 24 hours before that. Forward older emails to yourself and Kit reads them.

The Drumkit button covers part of Gmail.

Hover over it and drag it out of the way, or click the X on it to hide it on this email.

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